Choi captures 126th Women’s Western Amateur

Writing from Elmhurst, Illinois

Saturday, July 11, 2026

What commenced as something similar to hundreds of rounds of golf in the Chicago area, a couple of folks teeing it up a 7:30 a.m. under sunshine and a cool breeze, heated up even as the temperature did this morning.

By the finish, it was clear both Kylee Choi, the champion, and Grace Lee, the vanquished, dearly wanted to hold the W.A. Alexander Trophy, emblematic of the Women’s Western Amateur championship.

Choi did by virtue of a 2 and 1 triumph built on steady play, holding off Lee’s late rally by sinking a 5-foot birdie putt on River Forest Country Club’s par-5 17th hole to settle the issue in the 126th consecutive championship match.

In so doing, the 19-year-old Choi, from Murietta, Calif., served notice that she’s not only to be dealt with nationally, but also in the West Coast Conference. The freshman of the year in that league carrying Pepperdine’s colors, in Lee she knocked off the recent graduate from Gonzaga, among whose next steps is the LPGA qualifying tournament.

“It feels like a fever dream right now,” Choi said after calling her parents. Her mom broke into tears when the good news was relayed.

The key hole might have been the par-4 15th, where Lee was long with her approach and then overcooked a chip off the front of the green. Choi was looking at a sidehill two-putt for par and the potential of going dormie 3. Instead …

“On her second chip I just had this gut feeling she was going to make it,” Choi said.

Lee did, wowing the gallery. Choi’s two-putt kept her lead 2-up. The margin was trimmed in half when Lee parred the par-3 16th and Choi failed to get up-and-down after short-siding herself in a bunker.

Choi’s superior distance off the tee, on display through the round, helped decide the match. She had a half-wedge to the green of the par-5 17th and dropped it 5 feet from the cup, inches inside Lee’s fine third shot. Lee edged the right side of the cup with her birdie attempt, Choi sank hers, and that was it.

Lee aims for professional glory after barely falling short of capturing one of the venerable titles in the game. She had everything but luck on Saturday morning.

“It was a really tough match out there with really good competition,” Lee said. “After chipping in, I’m just thinking stay positive, keep marching forward. Match play is anyone’s game.

“She’s a great golfer, great competitor,” Lee said of Choi.

Lee, from Bellevue, Wash., had her sister on the bag, but Choi took ace club caddie Santiago, who has walked this leafy acreage for six summers and knows every inch of it.

Choi made it to the quarterfinals last year at Red Run Country Club near Detroit, losing in extra holes. That stuck in her craw.

“"I really wanted redemption here,” Choi said. “I haven't won a tournament in about six years, so I was not trying to regret anything."

She left River Forest with no regrets.

– Tim Cronin